Composting and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) Cooperative Agreements

Composting and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) cooperative agreements assist local and municipal governments with projects that develop and test strategies for planning and implementing municipal compost plans and food waste reduction plans. Implementation activities will increase access to compost for agricultural producers, improve soil quality and encourages innovative, scalable waste management plans that reduce and divert food waste from landfills.

Resources

• Webinar for 2023 CFWR Applicants
• USDA Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production: Reducing Food Waste (PDF, 746 KB)
• Video: Composting and Food Waste Reduction Cooperative Agreements
• Webinar for 2022 Composting and Food Waste Cooperative Agreement Applicants
• Composting and Food Waste Reduction Pilot Project Presentation (PDF, 3.4 MB)
• FAQ: Cooperative Agreements - Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, 375 KB)
• Learn more about Urban Farming Grants and Engagement Opportunities

Stories

• Community Resources to Combat Climate Change and Food Loss and Waste
• USDA Community Compost Grant Opens Up Potential to Compost 25% of landfill waste in Anchorage, Alaska

Composting and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) Success Stories

Douglas County, Oregon

Douglas County, Oregon and Source One Serenity, a non-profit group working to empower veterans, has a lot to celebrate this Veteran’s Day. With their CFWR-funded vermicomposting project, the organization is working to divert hundreds of tons of food waste utilizing their newly developed worm farm. Maintained by veterans, the social enterprise supports those living with post-traumatic stress disorder by providing both economic and therapeutic opportunities. Funding that is raised from the sale of the final product, worm castings, are used to sustain the healing outdoor experiences Source One Serenity regularly provides for veterans. The castings make their way to local farmers and gardeners while the local VA Medical Center, food bank, and other businesses can sustainably dispose uneaten food and byproducts. Creating job opportunities, assisting veterans, and regenerating the soil; this project is working to foster a circular economy that works for people and the planet. To learn more about their story, please view the Worm Farm Aims to Recycle while Helping Veterans page.

Yakutat Tlingit Tribe, Alaska

The Yakutat Tlingit Tribe (YTT) is located in the southeast Alaskan panhandle. This area of the state is rural and remote, and the Tribe is active in protecting local food security, community health and the environment. Through CFWR, the YTT is developing a community compost program that will serve two purposes: 1) provide compost to local producers to help address the acidic soil conditions of the area and 2) divert food from the local landfill which is nearing capacity. Through this project, YTT will host workshops to build local skills in composting and food preservation methods to help address food waste. The workshops will also introduce the concept of cottage industry sales to encourage community members to explore other economic opportunities. For more information on the Yakutat Tlingit Tribe, please view the Yakutat Tlingit Tribe Environmental page.

Cooperative Agreements News

• January 25, 2024 News Release: USDA Invests Approximately $11.5 Million in Composting and Food Waste Reduction Projects in 23 States
• March 16, 2023 News Release: USDA Announces Cooperative Agreements for Compost and Food Waste Reduction
• February 2, 2023 News Release: USDA Invests $9.4 Million in Compost and Food Waste Reduction Projects
• June 3, 2022 News Release: USDA Advances Food System Transformation with $43 Million for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production, Adds New Urban County Committees
• October 5, 2021 News Release: USDA Announces Recipients of Urban Agriculture Grants and Cooperative Agreements

Composting and Food Waste Reduction Agreements Projects

Composting and Food Waste Reduction Agreements 2020-2023 (XLSX, 42.7 KB)